It’s true: smog isn’t usually a headline-grabber in the middle of winter.  But there’s a reason you might want to pay attention now.

The U.S. EPA is reviewing the science that supports national health standards for smog.  And we’re on the verge of a major milestone. (more…)

This annotated bibliography presents brief summaries of selected research papers published in 2005 (or in press in January 2006) on the health effects of particulate and ozone air pollution.
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The evidence reviewed in the EPA Staff Paper makes clear that coarse particles contribute to increased risk of hospitalization for heart and lung disease, increased respiratory symptoms and decreased lung function, and may also contribute to mortality.
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A number of significant studies on the health effects of ozone and particulate matter were published in peer reviewed scientific journals in 2004.
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On March 24, 2004, the National Research Council of the National Academies released its fourth and final report — Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter: IV. Continuing Research Progress. The report summarizes the salient findings from six years and over $300 million in federal research funding. It concludes that significant progress has been made in understanding the health risks posed by particle pollution in the air, and identifies areas for further research is needed.
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In 2003, hundreds of new studies of the health effects of air pollution were published in medical journals.
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Recent research with laboratory animals, clinical subjects, and human populations has identified a cascade of adverse health effects from ozone at levels common in the United States. Effects include increased respiratory symptoms, damage to cells of the respiratory tract, pulmonary inflammation, declines in lung function, increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, and increased risk of hospitalization and early death.
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